Get Camera Ready: Flowers

BY Henry's August 4, 2016 Quick Tips

Taking good quality pictures of flowers can seem intimidating, but it can be so rewarding too. Using one of the many new printing options available today – acrylic, aluminum or just timeless framed prints – you can turn your photo into wall art and enjoy them all year around. Whether you are shooting in your own backyard or at Toronto Botanical Gardens, get outside this weekend and create your customized home décor.

Use a Tripod and Remote

Your flower pictures should be tack-sharp, so invest in a good tripod to keep your camera positioned perfectly still. Look for a tripod with legs that splay out, allowing you to get your camera down to a vantage point just a few centimeters above the ground. To completely eliminate the risk of camera-shake, use a remote release (or the ten second timer) to ensure you don’t accidentally jolt the camera when pressing the shutter release.

Wait for the Right Weather

Just as flowers need rainy days to plump up their blossoms, photographers cross their fingers for overcast days when photographing flowers. Bright, direct sunlight will cause ugly shadows and blown-out highlights in your plant pictures, but a cloudy sky will balance and soften the light and will help you create evenly-lit pictures. You should also wait for a day with less wind, because even a light breeze can create enough movement to cause motion blur.

Keep an Eye on the Background

The background of your images can be just as important as the beautiful flower in the foreground. Watch out for distractions that can clutter the scene, and consider bringing a piece of dark fabric that you can hang behind the foreground to help your subject stand out. You can also minimize distracting backgrounds by using a longer telephoto-style lens and a wide aperture (f/2.8, if your lens allows it). This will turn the background of the scene into a lovely blur while keeping the foreground perfectly sharp.

For Photographing Flowers, We Recommend…

Sigma OS 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro
Sigma’s 105mm macro lens fits on all Canon and Nikon DSLRs. With a 12.3″ minimum focus distance, this powerful Macro lens allows you to capture incredible close-up images of tiny details. Find out more.

Henry\’s

Henry’s has long been known in the Canadian photographic industry as the source for the best and newest products, informed Imaging Experts, award-winning customer service and competitive pricing. Henry’s, competitive pricing since 1909 and has evolved into Canada’s largest independent photographic and digital retailer.